How to Teach Mom and Dad to Smoke Weed

So we’ve already gone over how to talk to your parents about weed, as in how to get them to believe you’re not “doing drugs.” Let’s say that first conversation went well — now what if your parents want to try weed themselves?

The cannabis on today’s market is a bit different from the baggie of grass your parents may have smoked in college. Trends in breeding over the years have not only culminated in stronger weed — thanks to cultivation techniques favoring genetic profiles high in THC — but also a new, expansive breadth of options from tinctures to pre-dosed edibles to vape pens and dabs. All in all, rolling a joint these days is rather old school.

That said, if your parents are new to cannabis or haven’t smoked since the 70s, here are some tips to re-introduce them to modern day weed.

Start them out on a low dose

Whatever kind of weed they consume and in whatever form, don’t give them too much too fast. This goes for anyone, no matter whether it’s your parent or your friend. Even if you’re familiar with or habituated to a certain kind of cannabis product, that isn’t to say whoever you introduce it to will react the same way you do. Start them out on a small amount and up the dose from there, depending on how it goes.

Make sure your parents actually want to get high

There are many reasons one would want to try cannabis, be they medical or recreational. Determine whether your parents are okay having a psychoactive experience. If they want to reap the benefits of cannabis medicine without the high, try a topical to soothe their muscle pain, or a CBD-only tincture to ease their anxiety and boost general wellness. If they do want to get high, however, make sure they know what they’re in for.

It’s probably best not to dab with your parents when they’re (re-)introduced to weed

That means don’t get them in over their heads — literally. Your parents might feel comfortable with a form of weed that’s more familiar to them, such as a pipe or joint. Take them to the dispensary and let them ask the budtender what’s available, based on the effects they’re looking for. Give your parents enough say in the matter so they feel like they have a sense of control over the experience they’re about to have.

Once you pick out your weed, decide what you’ll do

Do your parents like to draw, jam, write, or cook? Or would they rather order food, watch TV, or listen to music? Having a plan before you get high may help make the experience all the better once you’re high and doing it. Take a hike, wander around a museum, or go to the movies — offer your parents an experience that will only be enhanced with the help of cannabis.

Don’t worry if it will be awkward

Getting high with your parents might be a new experience for all of you, offering an opportunity to see sides of each other you’ve all never seen before. Don’t worry about whether it will be awkward or uncomfortable — here is a chance to see your parents as regular people, like you, smoking weed.